Macmillan are now starting to draft a 'quick guide' version of this report for use in primary care. This document will provide GPs with information about how to identify patients with chronic GI effects of cancer treatment and what tests and interventions they can do, and finally guidance on when a referral needs to be made to a specialist.

Using the Clinical Research Network

The NIHR Clinical Research Network (NIHR-CRN)How to use it to do clinical research

Most Gastroenterologists want to participate in Clinical Research but don’t know how to and/or haven’t got the support.

Not any more!

Please take 5 minutes to read the jargon-busting guide, available on the BSG website, to what the UK Clinical Research Network can do for you and how to get Clinical Research going in your Trust. If you have any questions, please contact the BSG Research Committee at
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. Please note this guide is being updated to reflect changes taking effect in Q2 of 2014.

The Gastroenterology and Hepatology Specialty Groups are two of 30 Specialty Groups which provide national networks of topic-specific expertise. These groups are key to the success of the CRN. They work at both national and local levels to ensure the successful delivery of research within their specialties. This means ensuring that studies are delivered to target and on time. Further information on their remits and portfolio of trials can be found here:

Further information is available in the article published in January 2012 in Frontline Gastroenterology. In order to view the article, BSG members will need to log-in.

Alcohol Related Disease (2010)

Alcohol Related Disease: Meeting the Challenge of Improved Quality of care and Better Use of Resources

A Joint Position Paper by BSG/BASL/AHA

Alcohol misuse and alcohol-related problems, especially binge drinking and alcohol-related liver disease, are major public health concerns. Recently, much attention has focused on social policy and measures to reduce drinking. There is an additional need to provide care for a large and growing group of patients with alcohol-related problems, where national quality standards are lacking and the absence of coordinated policies means care is imperfect and spending is poorly targeted and ineffective.

A recent letter from David Florey CBE, NHS Deputy Chief Executive, has urged PCTs and SHAs to develop these plans to ensure that patients who are discharged from hospital receive ongoing and seamless care that will reduce avoidable hospital readmissions. £70 million has been made available to do this. The BSG and Alcohol Health Alliance have written to SHAs to encourage them to invest in alcohol services. The following links will take you to the letter and briefing document, which may be useful to you in encouraging investment locally.

Clinical Research Fellow in Gastroenterology

This post provides an exciting opportunity to join a vibrant and prestigious academic research unit. The Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre Biomedical Research Unit (NDDC BRU) is a translational research centre of excellence, created in 2008 from funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It is the only BRU in the UK focusing both on gastroenterology and liver disease. It is affiliated with the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, the biggest clinically based GI research grouping in the UK. It is also affiliated to the Digestive Diseases and Thoracics Directorate in the NUH NHS Trust a high volume tertiary referral centre for GI and liver disease. The person appointed will join around 40 postgraduate students within the NDDC, of whom 10 are SpRs in gastroenterology. They will be part of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility section supervised by Professor Robin Spiller and Dr Mark Fox. They will work alongside three SpR Research Fellows and three PhD students. There are close collaborations with the Nobel prize-winning Sir Peter Mansfield MR Centre through Professor Penny Gowland and Dr Luca Marciani.

The project will include running a large multicentre clinical trial funded by the MRC Evaluation, Mechanisms and Effectiveness (EME) Programme examining the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This includes mechanistic studies looking at mast cell activation, inflammation and the role of stress. Biomarkers to be examined will include magnetic resonance imaging and mediator release from mucosal biopsies. The successful candidate will have every opportunity to shape the research and develop their own interests within the programme. Expert supervision will be provided in all relevant areas with regular meetings with supervisors in accordance with University of Nottingham guidelines.